PERCY WALTER AIREY
Born: 17th March 1889, Eye, Suffolk.
Died: 30th December 1917; age: 28; KiA. Served 7 months.
Residence: 171, Woodville Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: Messrs E.R. and F. Turners, Grey Friars Works, Ipswich.
Religion: CofE.
Service:
Army Reserve: 24th June 1915 – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for Royal Naval Division – 15th June 1917.
Mobilised – 15th June 1917 and joined 3rd Reserve Battalion – 16th June 1917.
Drafted to Hood Battalion Blandford, Dorset.
B.E.F 22nd October 1917 – Rated Able Seaman – 22nd October 1917.
Left Blandford to join Hood Battalion – 29th October 1917.
Joined Battalion – 13th November 1917 – 18th Corps Reinforcements Camp.
Killed in Action – 30th December 1917.
Rank: Able Seaman; Service Number: R/1800
Regiment: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, ‘Hood’ Battalion, Royal Naval Division.
Memorial Reference:
Pier & Face 1A.
Somme,
France.
Relatives Notified & Address: Husband of May Elizabeth Airey, 171, Woodville Road, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1891 Back Lane, Eye, Suffolk.
Percy was 2 years old and living with his parents.
Walter William Airey, 25, a Brewers Drayman, born Eye, Suffolk.
Ida Airey (nee Bullen), 24, born Hillsborough, Norfolk.
1901 Little Coggeshall, Essex.
Percy was 12 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
Walter, 35, a Brewers Labourer.
Ida, 34.
Edith Louisa Airey, 9, born Eye.
Agnes Kate Airey, 8, born Eye.
William Richard Airey, 4, born Eye.
Alice Margaret Airey, 1, born Eye.
1911 Whitton, Suffolk.
Percy was 22 years old, a Provision Hand – Grocery. He was living with his parents & siblings.
Walter, 45, a Carman – Coal Company.
Ida, 44.
William, 14, a Grocer’s Errand Boy.
Alice, 11.
Mabel Dorothy Airey, 8, born Coggleshall, Essex.
In 1913, Ipswich, Percy married May Elizabeth Wheeler, born December 1886, Ipswich – daughter of George James Jonathan Wheeler, a shoe and boot rivetter – own account, and Harriet Ann Wheeler (nee Collins), and stepmother of Ellen Wheeler (nee Cooper), of 31, Long Street, Ipswich.
Percy is also remembered on the war memorial at St. Mary & St. Botolph Church, Whitton-cum-Thurleston, Suffolk.
The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy (RN). Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903, formed a vital reserve made up of formally retired Royal Navy, merchant navy and experienced seafarers who were trained to support in a combatant role.
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